Raph and April: Finding April
by eno1988
Summary: Sequel to Raph and April: More Complicated.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

It was a sticky hot New York night. The park was alive with live music, couples holding hands, and kids running around with ice cream cones. It was one of those evenings that never seemed to turn completely dark. The never ending days that melted into one after the other. Raph squinted his eyes, trying to focus and hold them open for just a little longer.

"I thought I would find you up here." Mikey said from behind his brother. Raph jumped and turned to face him. He was so distracted, he hadn't heard one footstep. This was Raph's routine now. He looked for her and looked for her to the point of delirium, then he'd sleep a couple of hours, train, and go looking for her again. He saw her face on every woman that walked down the sidewalk. It had been a year and a half since they had taken her from the farmhouse in upstate New York. How did he let them get her? He went over the relentlessly went over the night again and again in his head until he thought he'd fall apart. Why did he take his eyes off her?

Raph knew there would never be any sleep deep enough to make the screams disappear from his head. It all happened so quick…

_It was late, probably around one in the morning. April and Raph were delirious from the lack of sleep. They had spent the evening together, drinking and making out like they were a couple of high schoolers hiding from mom and dad. It was perfect and peaceful. April was becoming sentimental in her drunken state and regaling Raph with her feelings for him and he was eating up every second of it. Then it happened. A crash downstairs, like the front of the house got bulldozed through. The Foot had found them; they were all caught completely off guard. Raph hid April in her closet in the little trap door behind her clothes. And he ran to help his brothers. He was an easy defeat, too due to all the alcohol. There was so many of them and the turtles were fighting them off as best they could, but they couldn't keep them at bay. They made their way through the house. It was time to abandon ship. The guys put their escape plan into effect. April had her way out through the trap door to the outside. Raph, Donnie, Leo, Mikey, Splinter, and Casey all made their way out to the woods. As they ran, they heard the worst sound they could imagine. They all stopped dead in their tracks. _

_ "__Raph!" April shrieked, she screamed before her screams were muffled._

_Raph took off and Leo grabbed his arm, "You can't take them all on, Raph. They'll kill you before you can get your hands on her."_

_ "__I may never find her again, Leo!" Raph growled and then he heard a vehicle squeal away. Raph ran, but it was too late. They were gone, "No, April! April!"_

"Raph, you have to come home and get some sleep." Mikey interrupted his thoughts again.

"I'll sleep when she's in my arms again." Raph mumbled with no emotion. He had become more and more numb and out of reach each day he didn't find her.

"Raph, please, come back. Leo and Donnie are worried, too."

Raph snarled, "Leo wasn't too concerned the night he let them take her, as if finding the Foot would be easy. I should have just gone after her. Now, here we are and I still can't find her… I can't stop, Mikey. She's all I think about. I just want to think about something else for one single second. I actually feel myself going crazy. I know I'm close to that edge and if I don't find her, I'm gonna fall off. I won't be worth anything in my life again if I don't have her back because she has become my reason for everything."

Mikey had never seen Raph so broken, but he was a small as someone could be. He had lost the only love he had ever known and would probably ever have. No one wanted to the actually think of the possibility that April was no longer alive anyway. But it had been so long, that the brothers feared they would soon lose Raph to a broken heart. He didn't take care of himself anymore. He barely ate, he drank a lot, and he worked out until his muscles felt like breaking. Mikey was truly afraid Raph wouldn't last much longer and he would lose his other best friend. He loved Donnie and Leo, but Raph was his closet brother and April knew everything. Mikey confided in her about whatever was on his mind, girls, love, sex, anything and she was gone.

"If you get caught up with the Foot in this state, they'll kill you and then who will save April?" Mikey argued crossing his arms in triumph because he knew that was the winning argument.

He eyed Mikey and sighed in defeat, "Fine, I'll go sleep for a while, but then I'm coming right back out."

"Yeah, yeah, and I'm coming with you." Mikey said following Raph off the rooftop.

They made their way to the lair and Raph acknowledged no one as usual. He sat at the kitchen table and acted like he was going to eat something and go to bed. Casey walked through the door and made his way to the kitchen.

Raph's eyes perked up, "Anything, Case?"

Casey firmly shook his head, "I'm sorry, Raph. No sign of her."

Raph's heart fell and he piddled with his food.

"We'll keep looking." Leo stated, "We'll find her."

Raph shook his head, "How much longer are we going to act like we're not all thinking the same thing? It's been a year and a half. The Foot wouldn't keep her alive for that long for no reason and they wouldn't just let her go."

"Don't say it, Raph." Mikey pleaded like a puppy.

"Mikey, grow up!" Raph shouted as he pounded his fists on the table, "April is gone! That's all there it to it!"

Mikey sank back like a scolded child. He was holding back tears at the thought of Raph losing faith in April.

"Stop it, Raph!" Leo shouted at his brother, "You're just talking like that because you're exhausted. Just stop. You don't believe that, I know you don't."

"You don't have a fucking clue, Leo! She is gone. No one wants her to be alive more than me, but we can't keep pretending she's going to walk through the door in her yellow jacket, smiling, ready for movie night! She's dead!"

Leo got close to Raph's face in a challenging manner, "Don't you ever say that, Raph! If that's what you believe, then she really is dead and you never deserved her in the first place. Quit acting like you're the only one who deserves to feel broken over April! You may have won her heart, but you aren't the only one in love with her!"

The room came to a complete stand still. Mikey's jaw hit the table and Donnie actually looked up over his glasses from what he was tinkering with.

"Okay, let's back up, guys." Casey said putting his hands between the two brothers. He could see the rage growing in Raph's tired eyes, "We're all tired, hurt, and ready to rip a piece of shit to shreds over April. Let's just take a step back before we do something that we'll regret."

"Leonardo, Raphael!" Splinter's voice slashed through the tension, "Stop the fighting! I will not stand for my sons turning on each other. I want everyone to sit down, eat, and get some sleep."

Raph snarled at Leo once more, "I lost my appetite." And he turned and left the lair again.

"I'll go keep an eye on him. He may pass out on a rooftop somewhere." Donnie said as he got up and followed Raph out the door.

The night finally had cooled off a little after the sun completely disappeared. Raph made his way to the rooftop that was across the street from where April's apartment used to be. For a long time, nothing replaced the old building that burned down, but now it was a typical corner drugstore. But what it used to be is what brought Raph peace sometimes. He knew Donnie was lurking nearby, but he didn't care right now. He propped his chin on the wall of the roof and began to doze off as he stared at the drugstore. Then something caught his attention. Something moved on the drugstore roof. He blinked to clear his eyes. At this point, he couldn't tell if it was real or his lack of sleep. He was almost positive someone was on top of the roof. Raph jumped up and made his way across the street in the dark, making sure to not be seen by anyone. He quickly climbed up the fire escape and quietly hopped over the edge. There was someone standing across the roof. It was a woman. Raph's heart leaped into his throat. He began walking towards the figure and he kicked something on the ground causing her to turn around. She gasped when she saw him.

He knew those eyes anywhere. Sparkling even in the dark, her hair was shorter and her figure looked different somehow, more muscular maybe, but it was her. It was April. She backed away from him and he could tell she was trying to decide if she should run or not.

He panicked, "April, please. It's me. Raph."

"I know who you are, Raph. You need to stay away from me. If they're watching me... I shouldn't have come here. I should have known you'd be around." She said with regret in her voice steadily backing away from him.

"What are you talking about? Who, April? Come home, babe. I can protect you." Raph begged.

"I don't need protection. It's up to me to protect you now. I have to go."

"April, don't-" But she disappeared over the edge of the roof before he could stop her. He looked over and she was already on the ground and running down the sidewalk.

Raph's mind was reeling. What the hell had just happened?

"Raph, what are you doing over here?" Donnie asked as he hopped over the edge of the roof.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, Donnie."

Raph busted through the door with more excitement and life than had since April was taken. Everyone was still up and Casey was still hanging out.

"Where's the fire?" Mikey asked when his brothers came home.

"I don't know. He wouldn't say anything until he could tell us all." Donnie replied and sat on the couch.

"What's up, Raph? You look like you've seen April." Casey said sarcastically and he realized that's exactly what happened, "Raph, are you serious?"

"I saw her." He confirmed, "She's alive!"

Everyone jumped to attention and Raph recounted his brief surprise meeting with April.

"But there was something different about her. I could tell she's been training. Her body was completely different and she got off the top of that building the way we do." Raph explained.

"And she said she was protecting you?" Leo questioned.

"I think by 'you' she meant 'us'." Raph said motioning to all of them.

"Can you believe it? After all this time, Angelcakes is alive." Mikey practically cooed.

"Now, we just have to figure out how to find her again." The red turtle pointed out.

"But at least we know she's a live for us to find, Raph." Leo said patting his brothers shoulder and for the first time, Raph didn't look at his brother in disgust, but with some kind of hope, "We'll get it figured out."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Raph was holding April's body. The blood was becoming thicker and thicker. She was gasping for air and there was nothing he could do to save her.

The tears made their way to the surface when he spoke, "I love you, April. Please, hold on. I'll get you help." He whimpered.

April couldn't speak. She placed her hand on his cheek because it was all the comfort she could offer and her eyes closed. The sobs were uncontrollable and Raph laid his head on her chest and cried as loudly as he could, as hard as he could for it to stop hurting. Then he felt something holding him. Raph jerked his head up to April smiling at him. She was laying in his arms perfectly fine and very much alive. The blood was gone. It was like she had never been touched.

"I love you, Raphael." She whispered.

Raph's eyes jerked open. He was in his bed in the lair. It had been the first time he had had that nightmare that didn't end with April dying. Something about that made him feel rejuvenated, like everything could be alright again. He would get April back. He reached under his bed and pulled out the half empty bottle of tequila. He got up and walked to the bathroom and poured it out and tossed the bottle in the trash. He knew if he was going to hold on to April and find her, he had to get himself together again. He looked in the mirror and he didn't even recognize himself and it was scary for him to think this is what April saw. The smell of breakfast made its way down the hall and Raph went and sat down with his brothers for the first time in a year and a half. They all stared at Raph waiting for an explanation.

He met their stares and looked at them like they were the crazy ones, "What?! I'm hungry. Mikey, can you pass me some bacon, please?"

Mikey kept his stare on Raph and handed him the bacon, "Sure."

Raph nodded at him and took the plate, "Donnie, after we get done training can you hack into the cities facial recognition software and see if April's been caught on any of the cameras around New York."

"Watching a lot of CSI, are we?" Mikey snorted.

Donnie rolled his eyes at Mikey, "Actually, yeah. It may take a little time, but sure."

"It's good to see you back at the table." Leo whispered.

"It's good to be back." Raph smirked.

After breakfast and training, Donnie immediately went to work on hacking into facial recognition to see if he could create a visual map of April. Mikey, Leo, and Raph all went out on patrol and split up as Donnie called with a previous sighting. Donnie went back to when April was taken and worked his way up. About eight months after she was taken, Donnie had a hit. Out at the docks in Brooklyn, where the turtles had had many run in's with the Foot before. Donnie rewound the scene and watched it from the beginning. It was late and rainy a van pulled up after hours to the gate and tossed an almost lifeless April out onto the ground and left her for dead. She was barely even wrapped in a dirty prison blanket and covered in blood and gashes.

Donnie had to take a deep breath to keep his emotions calm as he watched her lay there. He fast forwarded to see what happened to her and the video cut out to nothing. Then when it came back on, April was gone and there was no sign as to who found her, "What the-" Donnie went back over it again and again, but it was simply gone.

He picked up his phone dialed Leo, "What's up, Donnie? Find anything?"

"I think you guys need to come look at this before we go any further." Donnie suggested firmly.

"Can it wait?" Leo asked.

"Now, guys." Donnie confirmed and hung up the phone.

The three turtle filed back into the lair and to Donnie's lab area.

"Alright, what's the deal?" Raph questioned.

Donnie sat his brothers down, "Before I show you this, you have to keep in mind, this was been done and over for months, so please keep your tempers calm. Agreed?"

The brother nodded hesitantly at Donnie and he began the video back at the van. They watched her get tossed away like garbage when they were done with. Mikey couldn't take it. He turned away. Raph gritted his teeth as he watched her lay there unmoving and alone.

"It's amazing it could even recognize her face." Leo whispered in disgust.

Donnie fast forwarded the video to where it went blank and loses April's trail.

"What happened? Where is April?" Raph jumped up in confusion.

"That's why I brought you guys back. For some reason the footage is gone." Donnie answered.

"Meaning?" Leo pushed.

"Meaning whoever found April is covering up that they found her. I don't know who has her, but they have pull. Enough pull to make her disappear." He explained further.

"Disappear from us." Raph stated sullenly.

"It makes sense why this was never reported. If the papers had gotten a hold of this, everyone would have known about the half dead news reporter at the docks." Leo said matter of factly.

"I'm just making the point that April said she was protecting us. She wouldn't have said that for no reason. What if us uncovering her could reveal us to the world?" Donnie looked at his brothers and realized one was missing, "Where's Raph?"

Leo and Mikey looked around, "Shit. He's probably heading to Brooklyn."

"We need to catch up with him." Donnie said hurriedly.

Raph lurked around the outskirts making sure there was nobody left to see him before he did some investigating. He didn't know what he was looking for, but he had nowhere else to start. He tried not to imagine her laying there on the ground, left for dead. He climbed over the gate and started snooping around and her scent was so strong.

"What are you doing?"

Raph snapped around and there she was. She had her hair pulled back on one side and she was wearing a fitted black jumpsuit, like she was ready for combat. What the hell have these people done to her? , "Tryin' to find you."

"Raph, you have to stop this. I don't want you to get hurt. I'm alive and you know that now. You have to stop looking for me." She said harshly.

"Why would I ever stop looking for you, April? I have been looking for you every day and night since you were taken." He told her.

"I know you have and now you have to stop." She replied and turned to leave him.

"You know I have?" His voice sounded so hurt that she had to turn and face him, "What all do you know, April? I suddenly have a feelin' you've been very close for a while now."

She looked down and back up at him. He thought she was trying to hold back the tears, "I've been keeping an eye out for you, yeah."

His hurt was turning into anger and confusion, "Why'd you not come to me?"

"I can't do this with you now."

He grabbed her arm, "No, you're gonna give me some answers! I have been killing myself to find you and you've been what? Right around the corner of every step I made. I have been devastated and lost for so long and you can't do this with me!"

"I don't want them to hurt you guys." She whispered.

"Who? What have they done to you?" He questioned.

"They saved me. I would have died."

"They changed you. You're not my April. My April would have come to me and told me everything and made sure I knew she alive and loved me."

"What do you want me to do!?You're April would have gotten us killed! I can't change the way things happened. I can't go back to that night and make it different." She argued trying not to let the tears show in her eyes.

Raph shook his head in disappointment, "This is so not the reunion I had in mind when I finally saw you again, but I guess it's good to know that there's nothing to hold on to anymore. You're gone and we're not us anymore. You don't love me, fine. I'm so happy that you are alive. I'm just sorry we aren't Raph and April anymore." He turned to leave.

"You think that's what this means? That I stopped loving you?" She laughed to keep from crying, "You have no idea what the Foot did to me. You have no idea how much I love you. You have no I idea what I endured to keep them from finding all of you and now you're going to fuck it up because you're so selfish you can't see passed our relationship. If you reveal yourself to them now, me staying away for all this time will be for nothing. I didn't come home because I couldn't! You think I wanted to stay away. You think every part of me didn't want to run to you all these nights I've been following you. If you think anything else of me, you can fuck off. I was beaten, tortured, starved …" April stopped herself before she could say the last thing to him, "And anything else you could imagine, they did it to me because they wanted you guys. Then when they realized they weren't going to get anything out of me, they left me out here to die. Guess they didn't think I make it through the night, but I did. And the thought of you is the only thing that kept me going. So, go on, Raph, have your little pity party because I know what you've been through. I've been watching you. I know you haven't been sleeping and I know you've developed a little alcohol problem and I am so sorry you had to go all this time without knowing if I was dead or alive. I truly am, but what you went through doesn't compare to what I went through. So, how dare you talk to me like I didn't do right by you. I have done nothing, but watch out for you!"

Raph wanted to kill himself right there. He couldn't believe he even let his mouth say what he said to her. He didn't deserve her then and he doesn't deserve her now. All she needed was him and he fucked it up and whined about their relationship. He felt light headed suddenly and his knees hit the ground. The tears fell freely now, he didn't care and he wasn't ashamed for April to see it now, "Please, forgive me, April. I didn't save you. I'm always supposed to save you and I let them get away with you and here you are still saving me from everything including myself. I've had it in my head for so long that if we were just together again, that we could somehow forget everything and move forward like nothin' happened. But I know we can't and I'm sorry I just said all that stuff to you. I just don't have the strength to be without you anymore. I can't take it."

April kneeled down in front of Raph with tears in her eyes. She placed her hands on either side of his face and he could see his April in there. Before he knew what was happening, April pulled his mouth down to hers. She kissed him with more feeling than ever before. Raph wrapped his arms around her and she deepened their kiss before pulling back to look at him, "I'm still completely, one hundred percent yours. You never lost me. I'm so in love you."

Raph smiled shyly, "I'm so in love with you, babe."

"You have to have faith in me. You can't get caught up in this. You'll see me again soon, I promise." She kissed him again.

"Ahem."

Raph jerked his head around and saw his three brothers standing there.

"Angelcakes?" Mikey wondered as he watched her run and climb up a shipping container.

Raph watched her as she moved like she wasn't even human anymore. She turned to give him one last look before she had to go, "Soon." She whispered to him and gave the others an apologetic look and took off into the night. She knew it was stupid enough to stay with Raph as long as she did.

"That was April?" Leo questioned in shock.

"I told you. She's different now. They've done something to her." Raph said exasperated and he began walking away with his brothers.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

April made her way back to the facility. It was a huge skyscraper in the middle of Manhattan. She ran to an unsuspicious backdoor and typed in a code. The door accepted her entry and she walked inside the sleek building. She was surrounded by black marble walls as she came to the elevator bank. Again she entered her code and the elevator began going down into the basement area. The elevator came to a stop and she entered a stainless steel room filled with computers, large wall monitors and people everywhere with a different tasks at hand. She made her way through the chaos, skipped up the miniature staircase into an office.

"You've had a late night." An older gentleman with salt and pepper hair spoke to her from behind the desk.

"I was at the docks in Brooklyn scoping out any Foot Clan activity." April replied as she propped herself on the corner of the desk.

"Is that what you call what you were doing?" He smirked and he played a video from the dock camera of April in Raph's arms.

April sighed and silently scolded herself, "I didn't know he was going to be there."

"So, you decided to make out with him out of surprise?" He asked sarcastically, "You requested that your friends be kept off our radar and I have no problem complying with your request, April, but you have to do your part to keep them off our radar."

"Believe it or not, that's what I was trying to explain, but… But the conversation took a very different turn." She fiddled with her zipper on the sleeve of her jumpsuit, "This is very difficult for me to stay away from him. I still love them and I'm still in love with him. I'm handling it the best I can, I swear I am. It had just been so long since I had seen him face to face and I let myself get swept up in it."

The man sighed and a look of sympathy came to his tired eyes, "I know it's hard for you, April. I have been in your shoes, but you have a mission that you don't want them involved in due to possible exposure. You have to make your choice and stick with it. However, judging by this," He played the kiss on the screen, "This guy would follow you anywhere."

April left the man's office and made her way to her room. There was a knock on her door, "Come in."

The door cracked open and it was Vern, "O'Neil, you okay. You were gone for a really long time."

She nodded, "I'm fine, Vern. I was at the docks patrolling and Raph showed up."

Vern's eyes popped open, "Oh, shit. How was it?" He came in and closed the door.

She shook her head, "Hard, Vern. It was so much harder than I thought." She unzipped the top of jumpsuit and revealed a black tank top and scars all over her shoulders and chest. She sat on the edge of her bed and began slipping her boots off, "I thought if I kept the mission in the front of my mind and the need to keep them protected and at a distance, I'd be fine. But it didn't work that way at all. It's killing me, just like it's killing him."

"He would come here and do this with you." Vern stated without a doubt.

"What kind of life is this? Besides what would they do to the turtles after they didn't need them anymore? Put them in a lab and cut on them. They would become science experiments all over again."

Vern shrugged, "I don't know what will happen. But you can't live your life half in and half out. Either make the choice to be with him again or be here. You have to give him that courtesy, Ape."

"You're right, Vern. I just at to make a decision and let it go."

"I'll let you get some sleep and we'll talk tomorrow. Night, kid."

"Good night, Vern."

Casey stumbled his way through the door of his apartment. He had the late shift at the ice rink after a hockey game. He tossed his gear to the side on top of some mail, old clothes, and his vigilante gear. He grabbed a beer out of the fridge and began to guzzle it when he noticed his fire escape window was cracked.

Casey set his beer down and grabbed his cricket bat, "Guys? Raph? Mikey?" He stepped into the living room and his table side lamp flicked to life, "Oh, my God. April?"

"How ya been, Casey?" She smiled from the chair.

Casey dropped his bat on the floor and rushed to her. April stood up just in time for him to wrap his arms around her. She hugged him back tightly, "Jesus, April. Raph said he saw you, but I couldn't believe after all this time…"

"That I was still alive." She finished for him.

Casey nodded in shame, "Yeah, it was just so crazy. I mean a year and a half. Sit down, talk, what's going on? Are you okay?" He sat on the couch diagonal from April.

It didn't take but one smile from Casey and the tears started to fall, "I don't know what to do, Casey."

Casey put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her in for another hug, "Talk to me. Tell what's going on? Where have you been?"

"I saw Raph again last night and I tried to explain to him that he had to stay away, but it's so hard because I can't tell him everything without implicating their safety or the secrecy." Her voice cracked as she tried to explain herself.

"April, he's spent every second looking for you, maybe answers about what happened to you would give him some peace until you can come home again." He suggested.

April shook her head, "No, Casey. No one needs to hear about what happened when they found me. Raph couldn't handle it."

"Listen, April, I know he appears to be a mess and on some level he totally is, but Raph is tougher than you're giving him credit for when it comes to you. Not knowing is what's killing him." He explained just as he always did when it came to Raph.

"Still best friends, huh?" She cracked a small smile.

"It's been tough, but yeah. I've tried to be there for him every way I can." He shook his head, "I will say though, there were some nights he was so dark and so far gone, I didn't know if he'd come back from the place."

"And that's exactly why I don't think he should know everything, Case."

"You're not getting it. He was so broken because he didn't know if you were still alive for him to find. That's what made him so crazed for so long. He knows you're alive and he is becoming that same grumpy, but happy Raph because of that. He deserves your trust in telling him the truth and you deserve to know that you have someone who can handle it and he won't go running."

April chuckled a little, "I swear, it still amazes me that such wisdom comes from you. I have missed this stuff so much. I miss being with you guys and I miss having the feeling of family."

"You can have it back, April. Just make it so."

She nodded in understanding, "Ok, I need to trust you with something very important, Jones. "

"Anything, O'Neil." She dug her fingers into her pocket and pulled out a thumb drive and handed it to Casey, "What's this?"

"Guard it with your life. This is how I was saved. Everything that had been done to me was documented, every broken bone, every scar, and how they managed to keep me alive. This will tell Raph everything he wants to know about what the Foot did to me and how I'm able to sit here talking to you now. This is the truth he's looking for." She said.

"Who saved you?"

April shook her head, "I can't tell you that yet. First, I need to know if he can deal with what this will tell him. I've cut any names, except for mine out of the recording. Just tell him this is the first step. Will you please take this to him and tell him I will be in touch soon?"

"Of course, I will." He promised.

April got up to head out, "And listen, if you guys see it, that's fine, but I don't ever want anything from that recording brought up, ever. This is for Raph and his questions, okay?"

"You got it, April."

Raph was laying in his bed, rolling a toothpick around in his mouth when there was a knock at his door, "Come in."

"What's goin' on, man?" Casey greeted as he walked in.

"Nothin', just resting for a while. Now that April is back around, I'm tryin' to catch up on my sleep. What's up?" Raph asked.

"Well, that's why I'm here." Casey blurted out, "When I got home, April was in my apartment."

Raph eyed Casey, "What?"

Casey opened his hand to Raph, "She wanted me to give you this."

"What's on it?" He questioned accepting the flash drive.

"She said it's the truth you need to hear about what has been done to her and she also said she'll be in touch soon." Casey explained.

Raph went to Donnie's lab and luckily it was vacant. He sat down at the desk and turned on the computer. He wasn't tech savvy like Donnie, but he knew enough to get on the internet and work a flash drive. He inserted the shiny rectangle in the computer and clicked play on the only file on the drive. He gritted his teeth and got ready for anything.

The video was shot from a camera attached to a head piece. It opened to April's gashed up face. You couldn't even tell she was breathing it was so shallow. Raph kept his composure. Her body was hooked up to a monitor for her vitals and her heart rate was low. Her eyes were blackened from being knocked around, there was a nasty cut on her upper lip, and her nose looked crooked like it was broken.

"Subject's name April O'Neil," the man began, "found at the Brooklyn docks nearly dead. We are going to attempt to keep her alive, but it doesn't look very promising. She is badly beaten. X-rays show many improperly healed fractures that I would say have been occurring over the last several months, however nobody know with complete certainty how long she has been missing. She has a broken nose, broken fingers, several broken ribs, and severe trauma to the head and vaginal area. The severities of the breaks show that they were not done by just hands, but foreign objects as well." The man pulled down the sheet to reveal her arms and most of her chest, "There are hundreds of tiny cut marks in the skin and in much larger healed over scars in other areas. This was used in ancient times in other countries to slowly kill the victim, help draw out the pain by avoiding major arteries and keeping the victim from bleeding out."

A moment later the camera is on a table and the same man with salt and pepper hair is in front of the camera. He sighs as if he has lost hope and massages the bridge of his nose before continuing, "I don't know if I'll be able to save her. This substance has never been used on a human before… But I simply don't think there is another way." He hooked April's IV up to another tube and sped up the drip of the substance, "This mutagen maybe our only hope in keeping Miss O'Neil alive and healing her body back to some kind of normalcy. Now we wait."

The video goes black momentarily and comes back on to an awake April, and same man is with her, "Okay, April, you have been here for five days now. Can you tell me how you're feeling?"

"Um, I'm a little disoriented, but I'm not in as much pain." She replied with a very weak voice.

"Well, we still have you on some pain meds. Can you tell me your name and birthday?" He asked further.

"April O'Neil and I was born June 9, 1987." She answered correctly, "Do you know where he is?"

"Know who, April? Who do you want to see?"

"I want to see Raph. Do you know him?"

"No, I don't. Can you tell me about him?"

She smiled a little, "I really can't tell you about him, all I can tell you is that I love him and I know he's wondering if I'm alright."

"Okay, we'll see what we can do, April."

Two weeks later, April is out of bed and in a training room. Her bruises had become nothing but a couple of faded marks on her skin. Her scars had improved drastically and she was hitting a punching bag, more like annihilating it. She was moving swiftly and with ease like she had been training for years.

Raph couldn't believe any of what he was seeing. He continued watching the video and it showed April improving more and more and becoming more deadly over mere weeks. They had taken her near dead body and injected her with mutagen and turned her into a soldier. Her body had been transformed from a feminine curvy female to pure muscle. Every move she made in the spandex workout clothes showed some sort of definition. Her hair was cut off and she was covered in tiny little scars. She wasn't even a shadow of the old April. From the second Raph let them get away, April was gone, destroyed. She had been beaten, raped, starved, and used like a little toy for their sick amusement. Raph watched the video and the self loathing and guilt began eating at him.

Before he thought twice, he chucked his sai across the room and it plunged into the wall. He buried his head in his palms and took deep breaths. As much as she did for them and all she sacrificed in order to be in a relationship with him, this is how he repaid her. He felt the walls closing in on him, he had to get out. He yanked the jump drive out so nobody else could see her like that and escaped out of the lair for some fresh air.

The city was black as he made his way to the drugstore that took the place of April's apartment building and he was surprised to see a figure sitting on ledge letting her feet dangle over, there she was. He went and leaned against the wall. They didn't say anything for the first few moments they just stared at the sky.

"You know," She began, "sometimes, I like to sit out on clear nights like this and think about how we almost had a peaceful night at the farm. Looking up at all those stars, it almost makes you forget about the bad things waiting for you when you look back down at the ground."

Raph nodded, "Never thought 'bout it, but it kind of does." He sighed and placed the jump drive on the ledge next to April, "I believe this is yours."

"Thank you." She replied not looking down at it.

"Thanks for trusting me to watch it."

"You wanted me to and you said you could handle it." She looked down at Raph, "Could you?"

He crossed his arms and stared at the ground, "I won't lie to ya, I had a hard time watchin' some stuff, but I wanted to know and I'm glad I know something now… So, they pumped you with the same stuff we got, huh?"

April nodded slowly, "Yes, it was the only thing strong enough to save me."

"You're tougher than I always thought you were. You shouldn't have lived through what you did, but you held on."

"I knew this is how you would act." She stated and he gave her a perplexed look, "You're talking to me like you don't know me anymore."

"I don't know what all that crap changed, April. I don't know how to talk 'bout any of this."

She twirled around and threw her feet over the other side of the building, "It didn't alter my personality, Raph. I'm still April up here."She pointed at her head, "I just have to compartmentalize the other stuff. It was either the mutagen or die."

"That's not what I mean, April. I don't know how to act physically toward you." He corrected.

"What?" She asked shocked.

"I used to know my limits because I knew how you'd react. You spent months being touched in ways you didn't want and I don't know what I'm allowed to do right now. I don't want to scare you or make you feel like I'm pushing something you don't want because all I want to do is figure out who you are again and I wanna touch you and be like-"

April put her hand on his mouth, "Stop." She wrapped his arms around her waist and laid her head on his plastron, "I would never be afraid of you touching me. Don't you see that thinking about you is what got me through?"

He propped his chin on her head, "I shouldn't have left you in that closet to take care of yourself. We were so drunk and I-"

"Raph, I don't want to talk about it. What happened wasn't anybody's fault. We couldn't have anticipated them finding us in the country. The exact same thing could have happened at the lair in the city."

She buried her face in his plastron and inhaled the scent she was in love with. She hadn't smelled it like this in so long. It was her favorite thing to do after a long night of making love to Raph in the apartment to roll into him and fall asleep with the scent. He bent down to kiss her neck.

"I like your hair like this."He said holding her face up in his hands, "It looks good and even though I don't know why you have to wear a suit that makes you look like the Black Widow that looks pretty damn good, too."

She giggled, "All in due time, babe."

"I still think of you as this fragile little thing that I have to protect, but now you're a badass with an agenda."

"Raph, I'll always need you, but that's because I want you. You were never a matter of convenience and I just have a different job now. Technically."

He looked into her eyes for a long while and thought about everything that had transpired and the fact that two years ago he never thought he would have the love he has with April. Even after so much time apart, she was still completely with him in every way. She pulled his head toward her, giving him the push he needed to do what he wanted. He clutched her backside and pulled her off the ground to his face and kissed her. She reciprocated without hesitation and that made him jump for joy on the inside. Before either of them knew it, one little kiss was turning into the point of no return. He turned her around to lean her against the wall of the roof. He moved his lips down her elongated neck.

Then something started beeping. April groaned and grabbed her phone and looked at Raph, "Stay really quiet." She answered the phone, "O"Neil." Raph watched her as she listened carefully to the person on the other line, and as much as he loved April no matter what, he couldn't deny she was hot as hell right now, "How many are we talking? Heavy Foot Clan activity?... Okay, I'm on my way. I'll call you when it's done." She hung up the phone and clipped it back in place then looked at Raph regretfully, "I have to go."

"Where are you going?" He asked as she made sure her disheveled hair was back in place.

She grabbed his face and kissed him one more time, "It doesn't matter because you can't be seen there." She began walking, "I mean it, Raph. You cannot follow me."

"I'm staying like a good dog." He answered sarcastically, but he was full of shit. Before he could say anything else, a cloud of smoke appeared in front of April and she was gone when it disappeared. Raph rolled his eyes, "Seriously, a ninja vanish."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Raph thought seriously about listening to April and not following her to see what she was up to, but his non-thinking, dumbass side got the best of him. He picked up his cell and dialed.

"What's up, Raph?" Donnie said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"I need you to check the cameras and tell me if you see any Foot Clan activity tonight." Raph stated.

"Ummm, why? Are you already not listening to April?" He questioned.

"Shut up and look, Donnie. I wanna know what these people have her doin'." Raph growled.

"Alright, alright."Donnie did some click clacking on his keyboard, "She's going to be SO pissed at you." Raph rolled his eyes, "Ok, looks like there's some heavy movement at Pier 53. It's one of the Hudson docks. Don't do anything stupid."

"Guess you guys better come stop me." Raph smirked and ran in April's direction.

April was strategically hidden between some shipping containers holding a pair of night vision binoculars as the drizzle began to soak her. The Foot was unloading and loading different crates.

"I have eyes on them now." She whispered into the microphone attached to her wrist.

"How many crates are they moving?" A man's voice asked.

"There's about twenty-five to thirty. I'll need backup if we want to attack tonight." She replied.

"I think we need to do some more surveillance."

April sighed in annoyance, "We may not get another shot anytime soon." Then she heard the sound of running in the distance. She put her binoculars back to her face, but the Foot was still moving at their pace. The running was becoming louder, suddenly the shipping container she was huddled against began to shake. Her face turned upward slowly and she saw the sight of large green figures leaping over her head to the other shipping container, "Shit." She whispered.

All four of the brothers, ran full force at the Foot clan members. They didn't even realize they were being attacked until it was too late. The turtles jumped on them taking down one after another. April stood there in shock and rage for a moment and then her instincts kicked in when she saw Mikey get knocked back a few feet, "I'm in so much trouble." She mumbled and ran from her hiding spot towards the guys.

She focused her senses on her surroundings and went into fighting mode. Her hand reached for the guy attacking Mikey. His body jerked back with her force. April clothes lined in him the throat and threw him on the ground.

Mikey's eyes grew wide with surprise, "Woah, Angelcakes."

Another clan member grabbed April from behind and before Mikey could make a move, she threw her head back and broke the guys nose and her fist made a swift hit to his groin. She knew she had to get the guys out of there before her people showed up to the scene. She turned to see the other members had been taken down and were tied up and tied down and all four of the brothers were gone. Black vehicles with tinted windows came screeching up to the scene and she had no idea how she was going to explain this one, but she knew one man would already know exactly what happened. First, she had to get to the guys and make sure they were okay and give them the tongue lashing of a lifetime. As the group of no names quickly cleaned up everything, April quietly snuck away and found the closet entrance to the tunnels she could.

April walked quickly through the watery ground. She was drenched at this point from fighting in the rain. She couldn't get to that lair door fast enough. It had been a year and a half since she had been there, but she still remembered the way like the back of her hand. Part of her had a hard time staying mad due to the excitement of going back to her home she hadn't been to, but she had to stay focused. There it was standing in front of her. She took a deep breath and came through that door like a bat out of hell.

"Raphael!" She shouted as she walked in and she looked to the kitchen and there were all four of them, plus Casey Jones. They all froze when they saw her standing there drenched and her eyes cold as ice, "What fucking part of 'I mean it, don't follow me' don't you understand? You don't have any idea what you're toying with, Raph!" She caught a towel that was tossed at her from the side by Mikey.

"Woah, she did see it." Mikey excitedly whispered to Donnie.

"How about a thanks for the help, babe?" Raph smarted off.

"I didn't need your help. We weren't attacking tonight. My boss had just told me to stand down when you guys came swooping in like unwelcomed superheroes." She retorted a she dried her wet hair, "I am trying to keep you guys off the grid and how am I supposed to do that when you don't listen? And what, now you've got the three stooges following in your footsteps."

Leo raised his hand sort of timidly, "We only followed him because there was no stopping him and we knew he'd do something stupid and we didn't know about the former part of this conversation."

"Well, at least one of you gives a shit about fucking up what I'm doing. And what are you doing here, Jones? Are you an accessory to all of this?"

Casey was chewing on his cereal, "I can honestly say, I'm just here for the food. I had no clue what was going on."

April shook her head and leaned over the table to try and steady her anger, "I can't see you guys if you don't listen to me. This is serious."

"Why don't you just tell me?" Raph popped off.

"Why don't you respect anything I say to you?!" She snapped.

Raph eyed April angrily and abruptly stood up from the table knocking his chair to the floor and walking out of the kitchen. She threw the towel down in disgust and followed him down the hall, "Don't walk away from me, Raph. You have to understand this is important."

"Shut up, April!" He snapped, "Just shut up about it."

April cut her eyes at him and pushed him before she knew what she was doing but he barely moved, "Don't tell me to shut up! I'm doing-" Raph pushed April against the wall and kissed her deeply and full of anger and want, nipping at her bottom lip when he pulled away. April took a deep shaky breath, "You think kissing like that the way you used to is going to win you the argument?" She squeaked in a very hoarse voice.

Raph put his forehead to hers, "I hoped some things were still the same." He breathed into her mouth.

April's heart ached, "Everything can't just revert back to the way things were before, Raph. No matter how badly we want it that way again."

"I just want you, April." His voice was begging her and the sound of his voice pulled at her heart until she thought it would break all over again.

"What if I can't be that girl you want anymore?" She looked cautiously up at him and he furrowed his brow in confusion, "I think no matter how much you say you understand things are different, you still feel like it will just go back to the old days. I'm not your fragile news reporter anymore. Back when we started, it was all about how we had to do things to work around the secret of your existence, and I was completely fine with that because I loved you. But now things are different and it's my existence that has to be hidden and it's my way or the highway. That's because I have no choice in the matter." She cleared her throat, "You have to understand that or this is over again right this second."

He stayed silent for a moment, "I will never not protect you. Even if you hate me, I will never leave you harm's way."

"That's exactly what I'm saying, you want me to be the April you have to protect and that's what's going to destroy us." April argued and she could feel her heart sinking, "If that's how you want it, then I have to leave you."

"So, that's it? No explanation. You're just gone. Again." Raph said in a stern voice. She could feel him building up a wall and shutting her out.

"You said you could handle a piece at a time. If you want it all laid on the table now, then no I can't give you that. Do you realize what it took for me to let you see that video? I knew what it would do to you and I trusted you to keep it together, but now that's not enough anymore. What about everything I did for you and Leo and Mikey and Donny because I loved you and I accepted the situation the way it was. You were worth it to me, Raph and you still are. But you're going to stand here in front of me and tell me that you're going to continue to do things the way you want regardless of what it will do to our relationship? Did you ever love me or was it convenient because I didn't run away screaming?"

Raph jerked his eyes to hers and she didn't even recognize him, they were so dark and full of anger and before either of them knew it, his fist went into the wall next to her head. April flinched and looked away for a moment, she knew she had crossed a line, but it was too late, "You know what, you're right. This will never be what it was before and you aren't the person I was in love with. Looks like I been chasin' a ghost for a year and a half because I lost you the day the Foot drove away with you."

April tried to recover herself quickly, "Our relationship is-"

He leaned down to her face, "What relationship?"

April breathed in deeply, "I was wrong about you. You couldn't handle the truth if your life depended on it. Stay out of my way, Raphael."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

April walked quickly down the hallways to her quarters, trying to beat the tears that were waiting on the surface. She didn't even know how the hell any of that just happened, but it did and it was over just as fast as it began. He was being so stubborn and she just snapped on him. She didn't mean to say what she did to him and she regretted it the moment it came out, like word vomit. But now she really understood, he's incapable of letting her be in charge of the relationship.

She finally came to her door. She slammed it quickly behind her and the sobs began escaping immediately. Her shoulders were shaking violently and she tried to contain the sounds, but failed miserably. Her body went limp as she fell to the floor. Her heart was shattering inside her and she wanted him more than anything and he looked at her with complete hate and disgust. Why couldn't he just listen to her and take her at her word? But it occurred to her that Raph didn't know her well enough to take her at her word. She was a completely different person to him. April curled up in the fetal position on the floor and tried to think about anything else.

Raph was sitting on the edge of his bed. He had just been sitting since April left. He didn't know what to think about. She was gone. How could she ask him if she was just a convenience? April had been the most important thing to Raph for a long time now. She was all that was on his mind. He reached his hand up to his skull and slipped his bandana off. He stared at the red material in his hands for a moment, then he saw the tears fall on it. He wiped his eyes with it. The memory of the last time he cried was completely erased from him mind. A year ago, he would have never imagined he and April could say those things to each other. They were so unfiltered and uncaring and unfeeling. At the beginning Raph would have let a comment like that go because he knew April would never say something like that and mean it. But it just stung and it flipped a switch in him he couldn't flip off before he snapped. He couldn't make himself see things her way because he loved their life before all of this.

There was a light tap at his door, "Go away." He growled.

"Please, let me in." Leo begged.

"No."

But the door opened anyway and Raph quickly wiped his face dry, but Leo could see he had been crying, "Is that really it between you two?"

Raph sighed and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, I guess it is, Leo. Do you mind letting me deal with it in peace?"

"You just broke up with April. No I'm not leaving you alone until I know you won't go do something crazy."

"Listen, oh mighty leader, I don't need a lecture right now."

"I'm not trying to play leader, Raph, I'm here as your brother." Leo said softly as he sat next to him, "That was some pretty harsh stuff just now."

Raph wiped his face again and nodded, "Yeah, it was. I guess we just showed our true colors."

Leo thought for a moment, "Maybe so, but I have another idea."

"What's that?"

"My thought is that grief does funny things to people. Emotions are running high and April was already revved up at you for not listening to her like she asked you to. But I sincerely think you two have been hurting over the loss of each other for so long that you're dooming your reunion by over thinking and over reacting. You two have held out for so long and you two are ruining it over things that can be resolved eventually."

Raph looked at his brother with so much sorrow in his eyes, "What am I supposed to do, Leo? I love April, but she's not April."

The blue brother shook his head, "Yes, she is. Just because she's not doing the same things she used to do doesn't mean that she's not April. Are you really going to stop loving her because she's not a damsel in distress anymore?"

"When she was a damsel in distress, I knew she needed me in her life. What use does she have for me if it's not to save her?" He asked as he balled his bandana up in his hands.

"I don't see how that's a bad thing. She doesn't need you to save her and she still loves you and she's still fighting for you. I'd say that means that she actually loves you and you weren't just a necessity in her life, Raph. Why is it bad for her to love you because she wants you and not need you?" He concluded his very compelling argument.

"You're wrong about one thing, though. She's not fighting for me anymore." Raph argued.

Leo snorted, "Seriously, you think that fight out there was the end all, be all to the Raph and April saga. She was angry and you were angry. People say mean shit when they're hurting. So, here's my advice if you don't want to lose the love of your life: Listen to her for once. April has always had our safety at the front of her mind. Take what she gives you because she knows what's best right now. She deserves that much from you, Raph. And if I know April, she knows damn well that she's more than a convenience to you."

"She hates me right now, Leo." He muttered.

"No," He shook his head, "she misses you more than anything."

April sat on her bed, her face was swollen from crying. Vern sat across the room on her dresser, while she sipped the coffee he brought her.

"So, he wouldn't listen to you, so you questioned his feelings for you?" Vern asked as he sipped his coffee and April nodded, "You questioned how Raphael felt about you?" April nodded again, "…Okay, then."

April threw her palm at her face and groaned, "I know, I know! I didn't mean to say it, Vern. It just fell out because I was getting so frustrated with him and his stupid stubborn streak. I can't afford to have the patience with it like I used to. It's a little more critical now." She shook her head as she thought about it, "You wouldn't believe the way he looked at me. It was like he was something else entirely. His eyes went black. He's never looked at me like he hated me before."

"That's because it has never hated you and he still doesn't, but you probably said the worst thing possible to him, April. You weren't just the best thing he could get, you're the best thing anybody could get and he loves you more than anything and you insinuated that he just wanted sex. He maybe grumpy and moody and closed off, but you got through to him and he didn't have to say it out loud for all of us to know how crazy he is about you." Vern set his coffee down, "Why do you think I quit joking with you about going on dates? Raph acted annoyed, but I saw it in his eyes that it truly worried him. So, I stopped because he needed to security of knowing you were all about him."

A few tears fell down her cheeks, "I don't know what to do. I don't know if I should try to fix it because the first problem still remains." She thought out loud.

"O'Neil, I know you're hurting right now and I think it's because you don't want it to be over, so you really need to think about your options here."

"Vern, he wants me to be the old April and that's not the life I lead anymore. That life is not an option."

"It's just going to take some getting used to for him. It took me a while, but you're still the old April at heart, you had to adjust to your life. You're a more ass kicking version of her now." Vern smirked.

A little smile appeared, "Thanks, Vern."

Later that night, April was patrolling for Foot Clan activity when she had an unexpected visitor show up. She heard the footsteps coming up the fire escape. They were too heavy to be a human, but too light to be Raphael.

"Angelcakes?"

April turned to see Mikey approaching her, "Mikey. What are you doing up here?"

"I'm lookin' for you." He sat next to her on the wall.

"What's on your mind?" She questioned.

He took a deep breath as he collected his thoughts. She could see he was upset and trying to keep his composure, "What the hell is going on?"

April gave him a perplexed look, "What?"

"I want to know why my brother who I have never seen cry before is in fact crying and I want to know why we don't see you for a year and a half and you come back as Sarah Connor 2.0."

She sighed deeply and looked at Mikey sweetly. He would never not be like a child to her, "Mikey, its so compli-"

"Don't treat me like I won't get it, or something. I know you and Raph were together, but you are still family to the rest of us. I want the truth." He retorted.

April nodded, "Okay, you're right, Mikey. I'm sorry... You're brother is crying because I said something to him I shouldn't have and we broke up. And the reason I'm like Sarah Connor is because when I was found after the Foot tossed me away, I was injected with the mutagen in order to survive all my injuries."

"THE mutagen? Like me and my brothers?" Mikey asked in shock.

"Uh huh, the same one. It was the only thing strong enough to heal the old and new injuries. So, now I'm of use to the people who saved me and that's why I track the Foot clan because that's basically how I make a living now." She explained and Mikey took it all in, "And I'm sorry Raph is so upset. If it makes you feel any better, I've been crying all day and night, too."

"That doesn't make me feel better. I don't want either of you upset over each other. You're supposed to be together." He said solemnly, "And as weird as it is to say now, you two are kinda meant to be."

April tried not to let that break her down, "Things are so different now, Mikey. Raph is having a hard time dealing with how things have to be now for me and there's really no time to convince him otherwise."

"C'mon, Angelcakes. You know Raph. He'll do anything you ask him to, you just have to give him a couple of days to digest things. Ya know, work it out in the dojo. I know you two have been apart for a while now, but I know you still know everything about him. You guys would have never given up on each other so easily in the old days."

April looked at Mikey with sorrow in her eyes. He was right. Nothing could break Raph and April back then. They were a team no matter what. They used to fight off the Foot Clan together, when she was gone to Japan Raph waited for her and took care of her when she was beaten to a pulp, they took care of each other. And what were they doing now? Deserting each other. This wasn't them at all. What was wrong with them?

"You remember after Raph got attacked that night and then he started ignoring you?" He asked and she nodded, "You didn't take no for an answer, you told him he was an asshole and you loved him and that's all she wrote."

"Shit." She muttered, "Is Raph at home?"

A huge grin formed on Mikey's face, "Yeah." April's smile quickly turned down, "What is it, Angelcakes?"

"Do you hear that?" She asked as she looked over the edge of the building.

Mikey listened for moment and he heard muffled voices from the sidewalk, like a struggle. He looked around the ground, too, "I'll look on the other side." He ran to the opposite side and looked down in the alley, "April, come on." Mikey said hastily. April ran behind him. They both hopped over the ledge of the building and slid in and out of the stairs on the fire escape, until the both landed feet first on the sidewalk. It was pretty dark, but they could make out the figures in the dark. A man was attacking a woman by the dumpster. He had his hand on her mouth to muffle her screams as he pushed her against the building wall.

Mikey made his way to them and April followed, "Ah hem."

The man froze and turned his head slightly to look behind him, "Mind your own business, asshole."

Mikey grinned as he stepped into the dim light put off by the street light lamp so the creep could see his face and the guy's breath caught in his throat, "I don't think so." Mikey grabbed his shoulder and threw him back on the ground.

The blond woman, well girl, she looked maybe nineteen stood there shaking, "You okay?" Mikey asked as he reached a hand out to her.

She quickly nodded.

"It's alright." April reassured her as she put her boot on the guys neck to hold him down, "Neither of us will hurt you. What's your name?"

"Carly." She whispered.

Mikey held his hand out further, "It's okay, Carly. We're friends. Don't pay attention to him. We'll take care of him."

Carly gave Mikey her hand still shaking, but she squeezed it tightly, "What's your name?"

"I'm Michelangelo, but my friends call me Mikey." He replied with a smile.

She put her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, "Thank you, Mikey."

He froze momentarily, but he eventually put his arms around her, too, "You're welcome, Carly."

April smiled as she watched Mikey and Carly. She hadn't seen him smile so genuinely since the first time she and Mikey had met and it had never quite been the same since April and Raph got together.

Carly pulled back and smiled.

"Come on, Carly." April smiled, "I'll get you a cab home."

She nodded at April and looked back at Mikey, "Will I ever see you guys again?"

Mikey smirked, "You never know, babe. We're always lurking around somewhere."

Carly smiled and nodded, "Okay. Thank you again."

"Mikey, handle this problem, please. I'll get Carly in a cab." April said. She and Carly walked to the edge of the sidewalk. April dug some cash out of a hidden pocket, "Have you eaten?" Carly shook her head, "Do you have a place to stay?"

"Yes, I do. I was walking home when this happened. I didn't make enough tips to get a cab tonight." She explained.

That's when April noticed her heavy makeup. She was probably a stripper, "Here you go." She handed Carly a hundred, "I want you to pay the cab," April waved her hand at the upcoming cab, "And get something to eat with the rest of it." The cab was coming to a stop at the curb.

"I don't know who he is, but I know who you are." Carly said quietly, "I remember when you went missing, April. I don't understand any of this, but thank you and thank Mikey again for me." She opened the door to the cab and slid in, "I really hope I run into you guys again."

April smiled sweetly, "I'm sure we will. Be safe, Carly. Driver, please get this young lady home safe." She closed the door and watched them drive off before she walked back to Mikey.

"What should we do with him?" Mikey asked.

"Leave him tied up and gagged, I'll have him picked up." April grinned, "Let's get out of here."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It had been a few days since their fight. Raph nor April would break. They kept up the charade that life was better this way. Raph did his usual of staying in the dojo and working out. April did her job as she was supposed to. Since the break up, April had brought down two different Foot operations that made the news. There was a new vigilante in the city and none of its citizens had a clue that it was their very own April O'Neil. She was poking and prodding at the Shredder. She was going to finish this if it was the last thing she did and once it was over, April could go back to Raph.

All she did was focus on work. She spent all her down time in the gym or patrolling with Mikey. They had become quite the little superhero pair. Bringing down muggers and robbers and whoever else had an illegal agenda. It helped keep her mind of Raphael, but she would be lying to herself if she said she didn't wish Mikey would bring Raph along under false pretenses.

Raph was laying on his bed with his head phones and his eyes closed. His head was bumping along to the beat. She closed the door behind her and his eyes jerked open. She jumped a little when he was so abrupt. He eyed April for a moment, trying to hide any shock and slight excitement he might be feeling. He sat up as she stayed by the door still grasping the knob, ready to run if he rejected her. His large hands removed his headphones and placed them next to his lamp. She looked like a puppy, all wide eyed and sad.

"What are you doing here, April?" He asked as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

She didn't say anything. She walked to Raph and sat beside him on the bed. He didn't turn away from her because he wanted her to do whatever she was going to do. She placed her palms on his cheeks and pulled his mouth down to hers. He didn't fight her. He had no desire to, he loved her and that would never change. His fingers entangled in her hair. So much hair. He loved how it tickled his muscles when she was on top of him. His hands grazed down her neck and onto her shoulders. Her jumpsuit felt different. He massaged the fabric in his hands as they continued to kiss. He also noticed that her hair was still covering his hands.

He pulled back slowly and opened his eyes and there she was. Perfect, scarless, porcelain skin. Long auburn hair that reached the middle of her back. A mustard yellow leather jacket that covered her upper half. Raph's breath hitched in his throat.

"What's wrong, babe?" Her voice purred.

"This isn't real." He replied becoming upset.

April held his palm to her mouth and kissed it, "You let me go. This is as real as it gets."

Raph's eyes popped open and he jumped up from his laying position. Sweat fell down his face as he tried to process what just happened. His heart was pounding and his breathing was heavy. It was so real, he felt like he could still feel her leather jacket on his fingers. She was right here in his arms and it was so tangible. The same April was right in front of him and he knew it was wrong because her long hair or her yellow jacket didn't make April April.

"Jesus Christ." He mumbled under his breath.

April made her way through lower Manhattan, swinging on stairwells and leaping across roof tops. She had to get back to home base and get some rest. She had finally exhausted herself enough to hopefully fall asleep without having Raph at the fore front of her mind. She came to a screeching halt about halfway to her destination.

A large hulking figure was standing looking over the edge. She hoped, but only for a moment because she knew it wasn't him. Leonardo's katana's gleamed in the moonlight when he turned around.

"April?"

"Hi, Leo." She said quietly.

"Patrolling?" He asked keeping it short and simple. She knew he was struggling with how to behave towards her.

She nodded, "Heading back from it, yeah. You?"

"Just starting. I just sent Ra-" Leo stopped before her said his name, "Well, anyway it's my shift."

"How is he, Leo?" She questioned not completely sure she wanted to know the answer.

Leo looked over the city, "April, I really shouldn't have to answer that. You know Raph. You know exactly how he's handling it." The coldness of Leo's answer sent chills down her spine. She nodded firmly one time and began to walk passed him. He laid his large hand on her arm, "Please, April. Go to him."

"I can't do that. He made it abundantly clear that things would not be done my way and I'm sorry but I'm not going to be responsible for getting him killed."

Leo scoffed, "Right because this isn't killing him anyway." He withdrew his hand from her arm.

"This isn't all on me. I want him to know everything, but he has got to work with me a little." Leo shook his head as he listened to April, "Don't shake your head at me like I'm being ridiculous! You think I like this anymore than him. It is killing me-" She was interrupted by her phone going off, she huffed deeply in annoyance with Leo and answered, "O'Neil… You have a location on that for me?... Okay, send back up. We have to be ready for anything. I'm on my way."She placed her phone back on her belt and looked at Leo solemnly, "I have to go handle this."

"Don't get yourself killed." He replied.

"Please, don't hate me, Leo." She said having to hold back the tears.

Leo smirked, "Me? Hate you? I have never felt anything close to hate for you, April. Get outta here. Go save people."

April tried to smile through the immense sadness she felt at that very moment. Suddenly she wondered why it never dawned on her that Leo could feel for her the way Raph does, but he said so much in that one little remark and it made everything so clear. His distance, his attitude, and the jealousy. He was in love and he never had a chance because even if Raph and April weren't together, it was too late. She would be forever Raph's angel, not his. She leapt of the edge down to the fire escape. Moments later, Raph came out of hiding and walked to his brother.

He looked at Leo with remorse, "Ya never said anything."

Leo shook his head, "What was the point? It was always you, Raph. You sure you want to do this?"

"It's the only way I'll find out everything and get to be with her. She'll be mad at first, but she'll get over it. Let's hurry before we lose her trail." He said and they were off.

It was a hostage situation, not unfamiliar from the same one April was taken hostage in three years ago. Only this time, it was April they were trying to coax out of hiding, not the turtles and here she was, being sent in as the negotiator, for lack of a better word. The Foot had several people held up in Ellen's Stardust Diner near Times Square. It's a big tourist spot in the city, perfect for capturing a large group at once.

Vern was sitting in a van at the end of the block with the man with graying hair and a couple of other tech guys, while April and some other select super humans were getting ready to storm the diner and get the people out. The sad part was that, most of the people there were probably tourist and had no idea what gang this was plaguing the city.

"Can you hear me, O'Neil?" Vern said into the mic set up in the van.

"Yeah, Vern, I gotcha." She answered.

"We don't have eyes inside, but we've all been here, so we have to rely on our memories to get these people out. Everyone put your gas masks on. This is will the only way to catch them at a disadvantage at once. On my count, we're cutting the power and dropping the gas." Vern instructed. April stood calmly as she and the others awaited Vern's signal, "Three, two, one, out."

The building that lit up the corner of the block went dark and they stormed inside. Windows busted open, screams of frightened hostages were heard all over. They all started ushering as many people out as they could before the gas completely incapacitated them. April was grabbed from behind. She grabbed onto the arm that attempted to drag her down and in one swift motion flipped him onto the floor and kicked him in the head knocking him unconscious.

She quickly worked her way up the small spiral staircase on the famous diner and began ushering a little family. She turned around to head back down the stairs and there he was, standing in front of her. Her breath caught in her throat, "What are you doing?!" She practically shrieked. Raph simply pushed passed her and picked up the two children and got them downstairs to safety and April led the parents close behind.

Once they were safely out the door, April tried to lead Raph away, "You have to leave now, Raph! They'll see you!"

"I'm not leavin', April!"

The air was cloudy and stuffy. She felt her chest tightening even with her gas mask on. The Foot members laid passed out on the floor of the diner and the families were outside being carried away by ambulance after ambulance. She knew it was only a matter of time before they came in and saw him.

April was becoming frantic, "No, I don't know what they'll do to you if they get their hands on you! This is exactly what I've been trying to prevent! This is why I stayed away to keep this from happening! I don't want you stuck living like this!"

"I'm goin' where you go! If this is where you are, then they can have me!" He growled through the gas.

"O'Neil, you okay in there?" She heard Vern in her ear.

"Vern, stall them! Raph is in here!" She spoke into her wrist.

Raph's brow furrowed, "Vern?"

"What do you mean Raph is in there?" Vern practically squealed.

"Just stall them!" She yelled back at him, "Think about you father and your brothers! Raph, please go now!"

Raph very calmly shook his head, "It's not your decision, April."

She tears came up to the rim of her eyes, "Raph, please!"

"No." He answered with no fear.

Then a small group of April's team led by the gray haired man walked in the diner. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Raph. The man looked at April with regret.

"No, don't touch him!" She yelled, "Raph, go now!"

"April." The man said softly.

She was crying hysterically now, "No!" She threw her arms around Raph, "Don't touch him!"

"April, I warned you about this." He spoke still softly, he snapped his fingers and a couple of guys walked over to Raph to lead him out.

Raph hugged her tightly and kissed her head, "It'll be okay." He whispered.

Raph let go of her and walked quietly with the two men.


	7. Chapter 7

WARNING: This chapter includes sexual content.

Chapter 7

Raph was sitting in a large glass box, a fancy cell. An all white room surrounded the cell. Vern knocked on the glass to get Raph's attention. Raph was hunched over on the metal twin bed fiddling his hands together. He looked up and his face showed his disappointment when it wasn't April. Vern gave him an apologetic shrug. Raph stood up and went to the window with speaker holes in it and Vern sat outside of it.

"You doing okay?" Vern asked, "I heard you haven't wanted to eat or drink anything."

"Where's April?" Raph asked abruptly cutting through the bullshit small talk.

"They won't let her back here yet. She's just now calming down and they didn't want her to upset you." He explained.

"Vern, you know if I didn't want to be here, I wouldn't be. I let 'em take me. April's not gonna upset me. I'm here on my own accord."

Vern nodded, "Yes, I know that because I know you, but they don't. They're not taking my word for it. Or April's for that matter. She didn't handle them taking you well and she was close to hysterics for a while there."

"She didn't know I was doin' it. April doesn't handle surprises very well."

"Why did you?" Vern questioned.

"Because she left me… I was tryin' to make her see that I don't care where I am as long as she's there, too. And I'm here to protect her no matter what she says, so I let them have me so she wouldn't feel like she had to keep this secret from me… This secret that was keeping us apart."

He smiled, "I'm glad to see your feelings haven't changed. For the longest time, April was scared of seeing you because she didn't know if you would have the same look in your eyes when you saw her."

Raph shook his head, "I will never not love her. I don't care if it was another ten years before I saw her again… I know she thinks she has to keep me in the dark because she thinks I can handle what she is now, but I can handle it. S'long as she is here for me to be able to love whether she loves me back or not, I'm good."

"I know how you feel about her, man. She's terrified of what they'll do to you. She doesn't know if she can keep them from turning you into a science experiment."

"My whole fuckin' life is a science experiment, Vern. Just get her back here. Please." Raph begged.

"I'm trying, Raph… Do I need to get in touch with your brothers?"

He shook his head, "Leo knows what I've done."

April paced her room for who knows how long. She had to see him. It had been hours since they had locked him away from her. She was anxious and overwhelmed by everything that had happened. Raph was fucking crazy. What had he gotten himself into? She couldn't win with him. He was stubborn and hard headed. She was on fire from whatever they injected her with to calm her down. Even shorts and a tank felt too hot. She felt like she was in a bad dream. Her mind was a constant race of what if's and she knew she would feel better if she could only see him. She wondered if his brothers knew what he had pulled. Splinter would be heartbroken.

Her door cracked open and Vern peeked his head in, "Hey." He said quietly sliding in.

April almost jumped out of her skin with excitement, "Vern! Did you talk to him? They won't let me see him. Is he okay?"

Vern placed his hands on her shoulders, "Calm down. I saw him and he's doing fine. He's anxious to see you, but he's fine."

"What are they going to do to him?" She asked with fear in her eyes.

He sighed, "I don't know, April. Hopefully, they'll find him useful. Listen," He slipped his pass card in April's hand, "This is what you need to get to him. The code to open his cell is 6998. It changes in a few hours. I'll keep a look out for you."

April smiled from ear to ear, "Thank you, Vern."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't say I never gave you anything. I'm giving you your large mutant lover."

She grinned, "I'll see you later."

Vern playfully smacked her butt as she left, "Go get 'em, Tiger."

Her heart was pounding as her feet walked down the hallway covered in marble. What was she going to say to him? What would he say to her? How would she explain everything? She came to the door that led to his cell and swiped Vern's pass card. She entered the large white room that was dimly lit due to the late hour. She could see Raph's outline as he laid on his side facing the opposite wall. She could see how uncomfortable he was in that bed with hi shell. April took a deep breath and walked to entrance to his cell. Her fingers could barely enter the code correctly because they were shaking so badly. She pressed "Enter" and the door popped open. Raph sat up when he heard it and turned around. His heart felt like it stopped when he saw her. April pulled the door shut behind her.

"How did you get back here?" He asked in a hoarse voice.

She held up the pass card, "Vern broke me in. Are you okay?"

Raph nodded, "Yeah. Are you?"

April nodded, too, "Yeah."

He stared at her for a moment, "God, April, get over here."

She set the card down on the chair and walked quickly to Raph, throwing herself into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up into his lap. They kept trying to grasp each other tighter as if they would be jerked apart at any moment. They showered each other in kisses like it had been yet another year and a half.

"I'm sorry, Raph. I'm so sorry about what I said." April lamented as she squeezed him tighter.

He placed his palms on her face, "I already forgave you, babe."

"You're crazy, you're so crazy. I don't know what you've gotten yourself into..." She admitted.

"We're not talking about it right now. How long do we have?" He asked.

"I'm staying as long as I can." She replied.

Raph nodded and went in for a long, slow kiss. The kiss that meant the year and a half wait for each other was over. He grasped the hem of her tank top and slipped it over her head. April stood up and slipped her shorts off to the floor. He placed his hands on her hips and admired her. It had been so long for them. It was more than time. He examined her new body. She was more toned than she once was. She had more scars than she once did. Her legs were now thick and muscular and it perked up her back side even more so than it used to be. Her chest was smaller probably due to all the upper body work outs she had to do now. And even though she looked so different, she still felt like coming home. She was still his April. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her deeply. She gripped his tattered red mask in her hands and slipped it off his head. It wasn't something she did often because that mask was like his security blanket, but she loved being able to see his whole face.

Raph stood up and laid her down on the bed. He slipped his briefs off and kneeled on the bed between her legs. He placed his hands on her knees and looked down at her. He tried to keep his emotions at ease, but part of him wanted to break down when he thought about what had transpired and how they finally got back to this place now. He just couldn't believe he was with her again. It felt like the first time all over again.

She reached up and grasped his shoulders, "Come here."

Raph leaned down and supported his weight on his forearms as his kissed her. First, very delicately and slowly. Then, building up to deeper, more passionate kisses. He missed the feel of her mouth on him. It had begun to feel like a dream that he had ever experienced this before. Her full pout made him feel warm and tingly all over. She could feel Raph growing between her legs and her need was growing, too. She nipped at his bottom lip and he moaned a little. He grabbed her leg and hitched it up on his side. His finger slid down her inner thigh to her center. He slipped his thumb inside and massaged her. April's back arched and her nipples became perfect peaks. A low guttural growl escaped his mouth. He pulled his thumb out of her and slowly inserted himself. April moaned softly as he slipped inside. He placed himself back over her on his forearms and slipped in a little at a time. April felt so tight, he didn't want to hurt her.

He kissed her again as he slipped in a little further. Raph felt delirious from the sweet feel of her he had missed so badly. She moaned in his mouth as she dug her nails into his shoulders. He pulled back because he thought he had hurt her and her eyes found his and she nodded for him to keep going. April thought she would never feel this again. She thrusted upward on him taking the rest inside her. He growled in her ear in pleasure. He kept one arm propped next to her and grasped her thigh with the other. He pulled out slowly and slid back in quickly. April's breath hitched in her chest and she rolled her head back in euphoria. He began moving at a steady pace. His mouth moved down her neck as he took in her scent. April was completely lost, it was like the first time all over again.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Raph decided to change things up. She didn't care though because she was limp and completely his. He moved behind her on his side and slipped back in from behind her. He grasped her hip and pulled himself as close as he could get to her and April moaned in response. He buried his face in her neck and she clutched onto his muscular thigh as he moved. He was moving closer to his climax and he could feel her tightening around him ready for hers. Raph slipped his arm underneath her clutching her chest with one arm and her midriff with the other. April dug her nails into his arms as he moved faster bracing herself.

"Come here." He demanded in a gruff needing voice.

April quickly turned her face back towards his and he took her lips with his as he began to release inside her. She moaned into his mouth as she climaxed with him. He kept going in jolted movements as he finished, making sure to take her to the very end of her orgasm. They slowly came to a stop sweating and breathing heavily.

Neither of them wanted to move, but Raph unwantingly retreated out of April and she hated the empty feeling it left when he wasn't inside her anymore. He maneuvered his body so he could lay on top of her again. His hands framed her face while sleepily kissed and gazed at each other. April's fingers slipped down his back and grazed his carapace sending chills through his body.

He sighed, "When do you have to leave?"

"I'm not leaving." April responded plainly.

Raph furrowed his brow, "What?"

"I don't care. They can find me here in the morning. I'm not leaving. What are they gonna do? Fire me?" She explained, "I've waited long enough to be here again and they can kiss my ass."

"Feisty April, huh?" He grinned.

Raph's eyes blinked open to the uncomfortably bright room. He scowled as he looked around and remembered where he was. April was still asleep and wrapped in his arms. He then looked at the door of his cage and saw a couple of strange faces looking in at he and April. His animal instincts kicked in and a low growl escaped his lips as he snarled at them. The pair quickly jumped back and left the room. He knew it wouldn't be long before they had more company. His arms tightened around April for fear they would come in and take her from him. He wouldn't go down without a fight. Then he quickly checked the blankets to make sure she was completely covered before anyone came back.

April begrudgingly began to open her eyes because no matter what had happened her routine wouldn't be forgotten over night. Everything rushed back to her from a few hours ago when she felt his huge arms wrapped around her. She could feel his eyes on her and rolled over into his chest.

He kissed her and head and sighed in regret that their intimate reunion would be over soon, "People have already been in here lookin' at us."

April's head popped up, "Just now?"

"Right before you woke up." He replied with a perplexed look as he saw something switch on in her head. It's like she went into stealth mode.

She hopped up from the bed and quickly dressed, that's when Vern entered the room and opened the cell door.

"O'Neil, I didn't mean spend the night!" He exclaimed as his panic heightened.

April grabbed the pass card and tucked it in her waist band of her tiny shorts, "Has anyone questioned you yet?"

"Luckily, no. But it's only a matter of time. They know whenever you misbehave it's because I'm helping you." Raph snorted as he got up and slipped his briefs on and Vern quickly averted his eyes, "Thanks for the warning, Raph. Seriously." Vern snapped sarcastically.

Raph turned around with a cocky grin, "Don't worry, Vern, its hidden away. Don't start feelin' second-rate an shit."

Vern let a mocking laugh escape with mouth before he turned his attention back to April, "What are we doing, April?"

She sighed and gave April an apologetic look, "This is gonna hurt." And before Vern could ask anything, April cold cocked him in the eye.

Raph came to a standstill and his mouth fell open, "Damn, babe!"

Vern groaned in pain as his hand tried to massage the pain away, "The fuck, April!?"

She patted his shoulder, "Go put some ice on it, big guy. Just tell them I knocked you out and stole your pass card."

Vern shook his head in understanding and walked off muttering something sarcastic.

"Did you have to hit him?" Raph asked as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Trust me, as long as Vern and I have been here no one would have believed the story without physical proof. I don't want him losing his security blanket here because of me." She explained as she closed the door locking them back in, "Now we wait. It won't be long before he comes in."

"That guy…" Raph knew who she meant, the man with the graying hair, "Ape, how the hell did Vern end up here with you?"

April looked up at the door, "That's a story for later on, babe."

Raph looked up and their company had returned.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

There he was, the man they had been expecting. It was killing Raph not knowing who this man was and why he had taken such a special interest in April. He didn't like it. It didn't seem natural to put all this effort and money into a half dead seemingly un-famous news reporter. The man gave April a strange look. Definitely not the look Raph expected. He didn't really look angry or upset with April, but more sympathetic and apologetic.

He swiped his card and opened the door. April stood without having been asked.

"You, too, son." He said motioning to Raph.

Raph looked up at the man not sure what to do, but he didn't want to make more trouble for April so he stood up as well and followed them out of the room. It was a giant maze like the sewers he lived in only immaculately clean and bright white. It was almost painful to be in for too long. It was hard on his eyes. He walked silently right behind April as they made their way through a huge room full of monitors and people operating the computers. They all stopped their tasks when they saw Raph walking in behind April. Some had scared, uneasy faces and others just looked in awe at his form. They ended their long walk in the man's office. He shut the door and clicked a button to close the blinds so they could have privacy, then sat behind his desk. He motioned for April and Raph to take a seat. The chair was in no way going to accommodate Raph's large size so he respectfully declined and leaned against the wall next to April's chair.

"So." He began clasping his hands together as he leaned onto his desk.

April nodded, "So."

"You couldn't even give me one night before you got Vern to sneak you in to see him."

"Vern didn't do anything. I attacked him and took his pass card." She corrected.

He chuckled, "You expect me to believe that?"

"Well, he didn't punch himself in the face, did he?" She retorted.

The man leaned back in his chair, "Oh, I full well believed you punched him, but I don't believe he didn't willingly hand over his pass card to you."

April rolled her eyes, "I guess we'll never really know what happened, will we?"

"Oh, I know what happened." He took the remote on his desk and hit play. There was the video of April punching Vern in the cell. The man hit pause.

"Nice right hook." Raph complimented.

She threw her head back, "You have got to be kidding me! I go to the trouble to punch him and make him look innocent and he can't even go back and erase the recording of it."

"I'm sure you can imagine that was the least of what I saw on the last few hours of the playback feed." He interjected.

Raph's hand ran down his face as if he was trying to wipe the shame away. He just realized he had unknowingly made a porno with April.

"You watched that?!"She asked becoming infuriated.

"I stopped when I realized where it was going. So, what am I supposed to do about this?"

"Let him go!" She snapped.

Raph pushed off the wall, "No. I'm not goin' anywhere."

"Yes, you are! You don't need him for anything. He's here because he made a stupid impulsive choice. He has a family that depends on him." She argued.

The man took a deep considering breath, "April, how about you go get ready for your training session and let me talk to Raphael." Her expression went from anger to concern. Concern he might disappear if he left her sight, "April, look at me. I want to speak to Raphael and you _will_ see him shortly. You have my word."

She gave the man a long considering look and stood up, "Will you show him to the training room when you're done?"

He nodded and smiled, "Or course."

She gave Raph's hand a squeeze, "I'll see you in a little bit."

Raph nodded firmly once and watched her walk out of the office.

"Raphael-"

"I like Raph better." He corrected.

"Raph, I think you and I should talk and try to understand one another." He stated, "I know you are weary of what we've done to her and why I'm so interested in her well being, but I want you to know I have no evil agenda that should have you worried. My interest in April is strictly out of familial."

Raph furrowed his brow, "Familial? Why what are you to her?"

"Well, son, she's family." He replied.

"April doesn't have any family. Her parents are gone and there's no one else." He argued.

"I'm her uncle on her father's side. My brother and I had a falling out due to his work with Sachs and never spoke again before he was killed in the lab. I never came forward personally to April because of the work I did, but I anonymously funded her life while others took care of her. I watched from a distance. My name is Wayne." He explained, "When I learned of her disappearance, I spared no resource to find her. I was the one who found her at the docks when the Foot tossed her out to die. I knew my brother's work with the mutagen was probably the only thing that would save her, so I went to work."

"This sounds insane, man. A secret rich uncle? Don't you think she needed you growin' up? She's tough, but no one deserves to be alone if they don't have to be." He sounded bitter, "I don't know what I would do without my father and brothers."

"And what about them, Raph? What are they to do without you?" Wayne inquired.

Raph shook his head, "I didn't desert them. I'll see 'em again." He said in an almost challenging manner, "They've got each other until I see 'em. April needs me, too. I won't leave her."

"What's your interest in April?"

Raph was quickly becoming offended, "My interest? Okay. My interest is she's my girl. I love her. She saved us when she was a kid, we owe our lives to her and I fell for her. She's _our_ family."

"How did the Foot manage to steal her away from you and your brothers?"

Raph cracked his knuckles and snarled, "Don't you question me like I handed her over or somethin'. Me an her were drinkin' and messin' around when the Foot clan attacked the house."

"How?!" Wayne shouted.

"I died that day!" Raph shouted back so loudly, Wayne felt the breeze from his breath and slammed his fist onto Wayne's desk, "I never stopped lookin' for her. I never stopped bein' there just like she did for me! At least I was in her life and gave her stability that you didn't. Don't try to twist this into something it ain't! She is everything to me and that's why I handed myself over to you. I wouldn't be here if I didn't wanna be… Up until a few weeks ago, I was like a zombie just goin' through the motions tryin' to find her and that's what I'd still be doin'. I'm sorry about that night and I've lived with the consequences of it. So, do what you want to me because I know without a doubt it's real."

April took a deep breath and tried to center herself. Her nerves were shattered. She had the worst feeling in the pit of her stomach that her uncle wouldn't walk in with Raph. The time was crawling by, it felt like hours since she left the office. She lowered herself into downward facing dog and tried to concentrate on positive vibes. Her body came up into warriors pose. She closed her eyes as she fought the relentless bad thoughts.

There was a tap at the door frame leading in the training room and her eyes snapped open. Vern was in the doorway and her heart began to sink until Raph rounded the corner behind him with a cocky side grin on his face. She walked to the edge of the mat.

"So, Wayne wanted me to show Raph where he could workout." Vern said shrugging his shoulders and smiling and his bruise was becoming more prominent.

"Nice shiner." She commented, "Is everything okay?"

Raph walked passed Vern into the training room, "Yeah, your uncle loves me."

"I'm going to go ice my dignity. You two don't kill each other." Vern warned as he walked off.

April turned towards Raph who was already making use of the punching bag, "You good?"

Raph put his head against the bag for a second as he thought about everything, "Mostly. I guess I understand a little better. Ape… You coulda told me he was your uncle. I was thinkin' you were like being brainwashed or some shit."

"It wasn't- isn't that simple for me. I really don't want to be doing this with my life. I'd rather be back in my apartment, completely ignorant to any of this. Just being a New York reporter and sneaking down to the sewers on a nightly basis." She explained, "None of this really makes any sense to me. I don't think about what I do day to day. I'm a robot. I just kick somebody's ass because it's what I'm programmed to do now and that scares the shit out of me. Wayne may be my uncle, but it doesn't make me any less controlled. I hate that part of all of this and he saved my life. My choices are gone. I didn't want that for you. I felt like the less you knew the less involved you were and I would at least have the illusion that we were still just those innocent kids. You were my idea of coming home and they got you."

He knew what she meant. It was the same way he felt about her, the familiarity of the love gave her that high that they had back when everything first started between them. Back when they had the privacy of her apartment and he could run to her when his brothers or Splinter became too much. He was who she ran to when this became too much.

"I get that you are in the position I was in when we first met. The secrets, the fightin', and all that crap that comes with that life. You knew how to handle being my home base, the not knowin' and the worry that came with it. I'm not strong enough to be what you were. Not knowin' damn near put me in the ground. I have to be with you to protect you. I can't be at a distance. I'm sorry, but I won't do it. That's why I didn't listen to you. You're the strong one, you always were. No matter what the Foot does to you, you survive." He shook his head, "I just can't stay away anymore."

She gave him a sympathetic smile, "But what about your brothers and Father?"

He grinned and took her in his arms, "Let me worry about one day at a time. Today, I'm here with you. Let's just leave it at that… for now."

"You're insane. You know that, right?"

"Just another day in the life. Insanity is kinda how we roll."


End file.
